Grain-drill.



' No. s9|,322. Patented Jan. l4, I902.

F. R. PACKHAM &. G. P. DATES.

GRAIN DRILL.

(Applicatibn filed Nov. 20, 1900.) (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

'No. 69!,322. Patented Jan. l4, I902. F. R. PACKHAM &. G. P. OATE'S.

GRAIN DRILL.

:Applicatibn filed Nov. 20, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) :5; 7

WITNESSES UNITED STATES P TENT- OFFICE.

FRANK R. PAOKHAM AND GEORGE P. OATE3, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TOTHE SUPERIOR DRILL COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OIIIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

GRAIN SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N o.'691,322, datedJanuary 14,

Application filed November 20, 1900. Serial Ila 37,184. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK R. PAOKHAM and GEORGE P. OA'IES, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain- Drills, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in grain-drills; and it especiallyrelates to graindrills of the class known as low-down or press drills,in which the side carrying or driving wheels are dispensed with.

The object of the invention is to provide means for preventingoscillation of the frame and hopper of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a permanent stop-motion, levercontrolled, that practically gages the depth to which thefurrow-openers can drop or rise, at the same time allowing them toconform to the contour of the ground and also to maintain an equalpressure at all times on the furrow-opening devices throughout theentire series.

Our invention consists in the constructions and combinations of partshereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a machineembodyingiour invention, one of the side rails of the frame being shownpartly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with some of theparts removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the same.Fig. l is a detail view of the cam projection.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in theseveral views. I

In the said drawings, arepresents the frame of the machine, whichconsists of side bars a a and transverse bars a a connecting the sidebars at the front and rear, respectively, these transverse bars beingfurther connected by longitudinal bars a a 1) represents the hopper,which is mounted on the frame in the usual way, and a represents thefurrow-openers,which are preferably in the form of disks and arejournaled in the drag-bars c,said bars being pivotally connected to thefront part of the frame. Mounted in V suitable bearings at the rear ofthe frame is a rock-shaft (1, having lifter or presser arms cl, withbifurcated ends, which extend over links (1 connected to thefurrow-openers, springs being interposed between the said arms 01 andthe supports for the furrow-openfurrow-openers,and the arms at beingadapted to engage the upper part of the links, so as to raise thefurrow-openers from the ground in the usual manner when the rook-shaftis rotated in its bearings by means of the lifting and lowering lever dwhich is connected to the arm d of the rock-shaft by means of the link de represents the tongue, which is secured to the frame in any suitablemanner, and pivoted to the frame and extending rearwardly therefrom isaseat-support f, which is supported at its rear end by the traction-barsfor the press-wheels, hereinafter referred to, by means of uprightsupports f Said seat-support f also supports the graduated segment f forthe lever (1 which is bolted thereto, as shown.

9 represents press-wheels, eight of which are shown in the presentmachine mounted in two gangs of four each. Each gang is mounted on acommon shaft and is pivoted to the main frame of the machine at a pointforward of the center thereof by means of traction-bars g, one of saidtraction-bars of each gang being connected to the side rail a and theother to the longitudinal bars a 0.

h represents a foot-lever, which is rigidly connected to the lower endof the lever 61 and Works in conjunction with the same for raising andlowering the f urrow-openers,and is also connected by a link h to a bark secured to the front and rear portions of the main frame.

In field practice with low-down or press drills, as described, therebeing no end wheels to support the frame the same has heretofore restedupon the springs, which were connected to the furrow-openers, and theabsence of the end wheels permitted the frame to which thefurrow-openers are attached and the grain-hopper mounted thereon to dropat either end, sometimes to a distance of severs, so as to exert ayieldingpressure on the "eral inches, which materially affected theproper formation of the seed-trench, planting the grain too shallow ortoo deep. Also in planting in uneven ground it frequently happens thatthe furrow-openers on one side of the machineindroppingdown would causethe opposite side of the frame to rise, thus lifting the furrow-openerson that side of the machine partly if not sometimes wholly from theground and causing the opposite ones to out too deeply. To obviate thesedifficulties, we have provided means by which the frame may be supportedrigidly and evenly at both sides at such times as it is inclined tooscillate or tip and by which a part of the weight of the same may betransferredto the traction-bars for the press-wheels. We haveaccomplished this by providing cam-shaped projections t, rigidlyconnected at each end of the rock-shaft d. The lower ends of these camsare adapted when the furrow-openers are in the ground to bear lightly onthe upper surfaces of the traction-bars g and are preferably providedwith a series of fiat bearing-surfaces '11, (shown in Fig. 4,) thoughthis is not necessary. When the f urrow-openers are in an elevatedposition, the cams i will be disengaged from the traction-bars; but asthe pressure is applied to the furrowopeners the projection 11 by reasonof the cam-shaped ends will follow the upper surface of the traction-bars and bear lightly thereon when the frame is in a horizontalposition, but are adapted when the frame is inclined to oscillate or tipto contact with the traction-bars, and thus cause the bars to act asstops, preventing the frame from dropping down at either side, and thusmaintain the frame and hopper in the same relative position withreference to the press-wheels. It will also be seenthat interferencewith the furrow-openers by reason of the oscillation of the frame willbe obviated and an equal pressure on the furrow-openers will bemaintained throughout.

It should be explained that in the operation of applying pressure to thefurrow-openers through the rock-shat t and presser-arms the frame willbe moved in a downward direction and in an upward direction whenthepressure is being removed and the furrow-opening devices taken out ofthe ground. Hence it is obvious that the front ends of the tractionbarswill be lowered and that the same will pivot upon the axle of thepress-wheel, thus changing the relative relations of said bars and theframe, and hence each notch of the lever-arc used will represent adilferent relative relation of the traction-bars and the side of theframe, and it is this fact that enables us to use the cam-like stop incombination with the lever-operated pressure device.-

We have selected the cam principle as being the most simple andthoroughly applicable to the present construction; but it is obviousthat it would not be a departure from senses the spirit of the inventionto use a sliding wedge or a combination of jointed levers or to useeccentric gears or any other well-known device that could belever-controlled, acting in conjunction with the pressure device andgoverned by diderent graduations in an are holding the lever in adesired position.

3' represents loops secured to the bottom of the, cam projection t',loosely encircling the traction-bar at either side of the machine,which, when the furrow-openers are lifted from the ground fortransportation, will, by engaging the lower ends of the traction-bars,hold the frame in a level position for transportation.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. In a seedingmachine, amain frame, an auxiliary frame pivotally connected to said main frame,devices for lowering said main frame, and stop devices connected theretofor holding said auxiliary frame in proper adjustment with said mainframe.

2. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, an auxiliary frame connected tosaid main frame, a lever for raising and lowering said main frame, anddevices connected to said lever to adjust the relative positions of saidframes and to automatically hold said main frame against oscillation,substantially as specified.

3. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, an auxiliary frame connected tosaidmain frame, press-wheels supporting said auxiliary frame, means forraising and lowering said main frame, and stop devices connected to saidmeans for automatically holding said main frame against oscillation.

4:. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, an auxiliaryframe pivotallyconnected to said main frame, press-wheels connected to said auxiliaryframe, means for raising and lowering said main frame, and stop devicesadapted to engage with said auxiliary frame and connected with saidraising and lowering mechanism, for the purpose of automatically holdingsaid main and auxiliary frames in the proper adjustment.

5. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, furrow-openers connected to saidframe, presswheels also connected to said frame, means for lifting saidfurrow-openers and devices, normally causing said press-wheels to form aseparate additional frame to prevent oscilla tion thereof, but furtheradapted to be moved from normal position by said means, for the purposeof lifting said furrow-openers out of the ground. 7,

6. In a seeding machine, a main frame, furrow-openers connected to saidframe, presswheels also connected to said frame, means for applyingpressure to said furrow-openers, and devices operated by said means tocause said press-wheels to form a support forsaid frame to preventoscillation thereof,substantially as specified.

7. In a seeding-machine, a main frame and a hopper mounted thereon,furrow-openers pivotally connected to said frame, means for applyingpressure to said f arrow-openers consistingin part of a rock-shaftmounted on said frame, press-wheels for said furrow-openers, bars forpivotally connecting said press-wheels to the main frame, and devicesconnected to the said rock-shaft adapted to be brought in proximity tosaid bars when the rock-shaft is rotated to apply pressure to thefurrow-openers, said devices being adapted to engage said bars toprevent oscillation of the frame, substantially as specified.

8. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, furrow-openers pivotallyconnected thereto, a rock-shaft on said frame adapted to be operated bya lever, connections between said rockshaft and said furrow-openers forlowering and raising the same, press-wheels for said furrow-openers,traction-bars pivotally connecting said press-wheels to said frame, andcam shaped projections connected to said rock-shaft adapted to engagesaid tractionbars, substantially as specified.

9. In aseeding-machine, a main frame, furrow-openers connected thereto,press-wheels for said furrow-openers, bars pivotally connecting saidwheels to said frame at a point forward the center thereof,lever-controlled devices on said frame for applying varying degrees ofpressure to said furrow-openers, and means on said frame, connected withsaid devices, for engaging with said bars and thus limit the downwardmovement of said frame, substantially as specified.

10. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, press-wheels, traction-barsconnecting said press-wheels to the said frame, a rock-shaft mounted onsaid frame, cam-shaped projections connected to said rock-shaft andadapted to engage said traction-bars, and a lever for operating said-rock-shaft, substantially as specified.

11. In a seeding-machine, furrow-opening devices, a main frameyieldingly supported thereon, press-wheels, side bars pivotallyconnecting said wheels to said frame at a point forward of its center,and devices on said frame to engage said bars in the rear of saidpivoted connection to prevent the oscillation of said frame.

12. In a seeding-machine, furrow-opening devices provided withpresser-springs, a main frame mounted on said springs, press-wheels forsaid furrow-opening devices, bars connecting said wheels to said frame,and means for limiting the downward movement of said frame by said bars,substantially as specified.

13. In a seeding-machine, a main frame, press-wheels, traction-barsconnecting said press-wheels to said frame, loops or projectionsconnected to said frame adapted to engage the under side of saidtraction-bars, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

14. In a seeding-machine, furrow-openers, a main frame supportedthereon, press-wheels for said furrow openers and traction barsconnecting said press-wheels to said frame, means for raising saidfurrow-openers and thus transfer the weight of said frame to saidpress-wheels, and means on said frame for engaging said bars to preventoscillation of said frame, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 10th day ofNovember, A. D. 1900.

FRANK R. PAOKHAM. GEORGE P. OATES.

Witnesses:

CHAS. I. WELCH, FRANK L. WALKER.

